A gentle introduction to the Lore-master class

This guide is intended for those new to the Lore-master class, or those considering creating a Lore-master.

A gentle introduction to the Lore-master class

So you want to be a He… er… Lore-master? The Lore-master class is a complex blend of crowd control, debuffs, damage and healing. Even though you can stand strong on your own, your role in groups is primarily one of support. If you are looking for a thinking person’s class, this one is for you.

If you are looking for a damage-dealer class, consider a Hunter or Champion. Though the Lore-master can deal a fair amount of damage, it is not a nuke class and cannot in any way approach the sustained damage capabilities of a Hunter or Champion.

If you are looking for a simple class to play, consider something else, anything else. In order to play the class effectively, you will need to utilize each skill and know when and how to use it. Each fight with the Lore-master can be unique as you have multiple ways of approach the same situation. If you do not want to think, this is not your class.

There is an immense difference between a good Lore-master and a great Lore-master. Although equipment does play a role, a bigger role is played by the effective use of each and every skill available. Knowledge is power.

Starting out

The Lore-master wears light armor and has little in the way of self-heals while starting out. The best approach not to die is to prevent damage from being done in the first place. This prevention comes in the form of crowd control (daze, root, stun) and debuffs. Learn to use these effectively in order to keep yourself alive.

At lower levels you may have problems staying alive. My advice is to make sure you are using combat control and debuffs the best you can. Make use of flanked heals at level 14 and later (read the later section on this). Use your pet to take down a single mob quickly.

Although it is the “pet class” of the game, your pet is not meant to stand on his own. Your pet is meant primarily to enhance your damage output and possibly supplement your debuff skills. Keeping your pet alive will add to your own survivability, especially since you can heal your pet with Beacon of Hope, but not yourself.

A walkthrough of your skills, level by level

At level 1, you can gain access to the Staff-strike, Sign of Power: Command and Burning Embers. These will all be crucial in leveling up. The melee attack Staff-strike is the foundation of your melee damage and, because of its cheap power cost and zero morale cost, should generally be used whenever its cooldown is expired. The debuff Sign of Power: Command does not draw agro, so it should be used before fights begin. The ranged attack Burning Embers applies a slow and a damage over time effect on the enemy, and can be used on melee mobs to deal a good amount of damage before they can even reach you.

At level 2, you get Fire-lore. This wreaks havoc on the melee damage of enemies and can be applied to several at once. Having this and Sign of Power: Command applied to a target will reduce its damage by about 50%!

At level 4, you get Beacon of Hope. This can be used to heal your pet or allies but cannot be used to heal yourself. This will be the primary way to keep your pet alive.

At level 4, you get access to your first pet, the Raven. This little guy is awesome. Keep him alive with Beacon of Hope and use him to increase your damage on enemies. And although The Raven is an entertaining poem, please be creative and resist the urge to name him Nevermore.

At level 8, you get Wind-lore. This is the companion skill to Fire-lore, since this one very effectively deals with ranged attackers by applying a -50% ranged damage debuff. If you are unable to mez all ranged targets use this to reduce their damage until you can deal with them.

At level 10, you get your staple combat control spell Blinding Flash. When attacking multiple targets, use this skill to neutralize one mob while killing off his friends. If the initial Blinding Flash expires, apply it again. You will use this skill a lot. Remember, the key to your survival is preventing damage. Unfortunately, Undead and Creatures of Nature are immune to this skill.

At level 12, you get Gust of Wind, which is a decent area of effect ranged attack spell which applies a debuff with a 2 minute duration.

At level 14, you get access to the Bear. Try him out and see if you like him. Eventually, he gains a forced taunt ability and a stun ability, which you can use to keep agro off of you. He is also more durable than the Raven.

At level 14, you also get access to Sign of Power: Wizardry. This can be used when your pet flanks an enemy to give yourself a moderate heal. This is so important and makes such a difference in survivability that I’ve added a section down below about it.

At level 18, you get Light of the Rising Dawn. This has a relatively short induction, a 30 second cooldown and applies a 3 second stun to the target as well as a significant amount of damage. Use it all the time!

At level 18, you also get Bane Flare. This is an area of effect 15 second mez on undead targets, which are immune to Blinding Flash. During the first 5 seconds, damage will not break the mez, so it is like a 5 second stun with an optional 10 second mez.

At level 20, you get the Wisdom of the Council self-heal. This is a massive self-heal for very little power on a 10 minute cooldown. If you didn’t get the Undying title, you will probably wish this skill was available sooner. Use it as an emergency heal or to take down hard mobs.

At level 22, you get the ranged attack Cracked Earth which applies a delayed root. This can be very useful against groups of mobs. Be aware that when a mob your pet is attacking becomes rooted, your pet will stop attacking it until you issue the attack command again.

At level 24, you will get Share the Power which perhaps should have been named Become an Extension of Other Players’ Power Bars. In some groups, you will be expected to give other people power. Although you have many other abilities, in the eyes of other players, your role will often be thought of as only having this skill. Use it wisely. It is often best to keep Minstrels from going powerless, while other classes are much lower priorities. Don’t give power to Champions. Tell them I said you weren’t allowed.

At level 26, you get Test of Will which is a 5 second stun with a long induction and moderate damage. Consider using this as an opener to get in a few hits before the mob even has a chance to hit you.

At level 28, you get Sign of Power: Righteousness. This skill cures and prevents stuns, and also cures silence. Use it wisely.

At level 30, you get your third pet, the Lynx. He is primarily for damage dealing, and doesn’t really shine until he is able to use all three of his attacks. You may or may not wish to ditch the raven or bear for him.

At level 32, you can resurrect fallen allies with Back from the Brink. You will need the component Sweet Shire-leaf and be out of combat to do this, but it has no cooldown. Keep a stack of Sweet Shire-leaf on your person at all times.

At level 34, you get Call to the Valar. This oft-overlooked skill resets a bunch of your cooldowns, but not Wisdom of the Council. It can come in handy for raids and tough battles, but you probably won’t be using it a lot while leveling.

At level 36, you get Herb-lore. This is used to root multiple targets at once. Since it has no induction and a quick animation, it can be useful to separate melee mobs away from the group.

At level 42, you get Ancient Craft. This is a pre-requisite of the level 50 spell Lightning Storm, but it is also very powerful by itself. It reduces the mitigation of all damage types by a significant amount. The effect of which causes your enemies to take about 10-15% more damage from all attacks while this is active.

At level 46, you get Sticky Tar. Less useful in groups, this can be used very effectively while soloing a single tough mob. After you cast it, run to one side and cast ranged attacks and wait for the mob to reach you. When it does reach you, run to the other side and repeat.

At level 48, you get Storm-lore, an area of effect fast cast stun with no induction. Surely you can see how useful this is.

At level 50, you get Lightning Storm. To cast this, you must first cast Ancient Craft on the mob. Only then will you be able to cast the spell and reign electric death upon your enemies.

Healing yourself with flanked heals

Your pet has the ability to apply the Flanked effect on an enemy. Your pet will do this randomly and automatically. The position of your pet in relation to the mob has no effect on this. When this happens, you have 7 seconds to use Sign of Power: Wizardry to apply a moderate self heal. The Raven and the Eagle flank much more than the other pets. If you have combat indicators turned on, you will see 2 pink arrows across the mob when your pet applies this effect. You will also hear a sound which I can only describe as a low pitched “bwahhhh.” If you don’t know what to look for, have your Raven attack a mob by himself and watch for this effect to occur. It should happen fairly quickly with this pet.

Equipment

While leveling up, damage output should be your biggest equipment concern. Find yourself the highest dps staff you can, even at the expense of a few morale or fate points. The difference between a 13 dps weapon and a 12 dps weapon is about 8%. That extra 30 morale on the 12 dps weapon will never be able to make up for the hit in damage output.

Secondarily, increase your morale as best you can. You will be primarily fighting many short fights lasting a minute or less, so in-combat morale regeneration is secondary to max morale. You shouldn’t have problems with using up all of your power on smaller fights.

Finally, increase fate when you can. This will increase both your tactical critical hit chance and your morale and power regeneration in combat.

As a final note, don’t spend too much time trying to optimize your equipment (unless you enjoy it, of course). You will be leveling pretty quickly so your equipment will be upgraded on a fairly consistent basis. There’s really no need to visit the auction house for equipment. The quest rewards are often the best choices at lower levels. The one exception to this would be for a good staff. I would definitely suggest looking at the auction house for a staff with the highest dps. Sometimes they are very cheap, and they can make a huge difference.

The important traits

While leveling up, you will probably want to acquire specific traits which increase your damage as soon as you can.

Master of the Staff (level 1)
Use Staff-strike to acquire this.
This changes Staff-strike into Improved Staff Strike, which does more damage for the same amount of power and has the same cooldown. It also has a chance to stun enemies. Since Staff-strike is at the core of your damage output, this is probably your most important trait.

Light of Hope (level 1)
Use Beacon of Hope to acquire this.
This reduces the cooldown on Beacon of Hope from 30 seconds to 20 seconds. It also makes the induction almost nothing and cuts down on the morale cost. I like it because it allows me to heal my pet or other party member more often.

Beast-lore (level 10)
Use Sign of the Wild: Rage to acquire this.
I liked this skill and always used it when leveling up, some others do not. It increases the effectiveness of your pets. Give it a shot.

Sword and Staff (level 39)
Complete the legendary book Lore of the Blade to acquire this.
At level 41, you get your first legendary trait slot. As soon as you get this skill, it should go in that slot never ever leave. Ever!

Eagle-friend (level 45)
Complete both of your level 45 class quests to acquire this.
The eagle has about the same flank rate as the raven. It also has a +1 ICPR buff that is applied to your party, a fear attack, and can resurrect the Lore-master if he dies and the Eagle is still alive (though this is tricky).

The other traits are really up to you.

Virtues

These are very unlikely to play any significant role in your character unless you actively do specific ones while leveling up. The virtues Valour and Justice are generally the most equipped. Use your judgment for the others.

Geändert von FissionChips (21.08.2008 um 01:31 Uhr)

[url=http://lotrosigs.level3.turbine.com/0920d00000008e0a7/01002/signature.png]Shauna[/url] the Lore-master
[url=http://lotrosigs.level3.turbine.com/0920d0000000045fa/01003/signature.png]Sifl[/url] the Champion

Re: A gentle introduction to the Lore-master class

There didn't seem to be a novice-level guide to the class available. Hopefully this will be useful to aspiring Lore-bies.

[url=http://lotrosigs.level3.turbine.com/0920d00000008e0a7/01002/signature.png]Shauna[/url] the Lore-master
[url=http://lotrosigs.level3.turbine.com/0920d0000000045fa/01003/signature.png]Sifl[/url] the Champion

Re: A gentle introduction to the Lore-master class

Thanks!! Having played for a little over a month, my LM will reach level 30 tonight. ;-)
I've read a few tutorials/introductions and this kinda filled in some of the in-between things that my have been overlooked. I especially appriciate the small section on flanked heals. I didn't know how it worked. I will have to try that tonight and see what it does for me.

Re: A gentle introduction to the Lore-master class

There didn't seem to be a novice-level guide to the class available. Hopefully this will be useful to aspiring Lore-bies.

The guide itself is well-done. However, you might want to consider a couple of edits.

First, you mention Flanked!, but you only discuss it in connection with Sign of Power: Wizardry. That is, you also mention Staff Strike and that Improved Staff Strike, well, improves it, but you make no connection with ISS and Flanked!. Even at level 50, there are only two uses for a Flanked! state, extra damage from ISS or a self-heal from SoP:W. And while the self-heal from SoP:W is an important use of it, there are a lot of situations where you will be using ISS on a Flanked! more than the self-heal from SoP:W.

Likewise, you get the Raven at level 4, and it is the most prolific Flanking non-legendary pet (only the Eagle, who you cannot get for another 41 levels minimum, Flanks more). But you do not get SoP:W until 10 levels after you get the Raven. Because you do not mention the connection between ISS and Flanked!, you have essentially told the aspiring Lore-master to learn how to recognize the Flanked! state, but that he cannot use it for another 10 levels. And that is simply not the case. Master of Staff is fairly easy to obtain. It only takes 600 uses of Staff-strike. Thus, you can easily get ISS and begin making use of those Flanked! procs a number of levels before you get SoP:W. This teaches the young LM how to make use of the extra damage from an ISS whether he uses the heal from SoP:W or not. Depending on pet selection or whether or not he is in a group, he may not need SoP:W's heal at all. But he can always make use of the extra damage from ISS in those situations.

So you may want to go back and make that connection. The way you have structured things, mentioning the value of Staff-Strike in general, I would go back add in that same part of the discussion that Master of Staff is an important trait to go after early on. Mention that it improves your Staff-strike in general, but that it also will do extra damage if used during a Flanked! state. Then, when you talk about Flanked! specifically, you can discuss it as an opportunity to get that extra damage and that, at level 14, you get the additional option to do a self-heal using SoP:W if needed. But the way it is, you leave your target audience with the impression that the only purpose of Flanked! is the self-heal.

The other thing I noted was the absense of any mention of the Warding skills or Bane Flare. This is especially important since the Blinding Flash does not work against the Dead or Creatures of nature. Both of the Warding skills and Bane Flare help close this gap. Since you include a run-down of all the skills, those should be included. Likewise, it would be good to note that Blinding Flash does not affect certain target types because the people this guide is written for will likely be starting to go into the Barrows area while this guide would still be current.

Re: A gentle introduction to the Lore-master class

Not a bad guide at all. Nice job and thanks for writing it up; I wish I had had it when I started my Lore-master.

In addition to Voxin's points, I believe it would be nice to include a brief section on ranged attackers since these (especially the Barrow-Wight ones) seemed to be my downfall during the low levels. I don't see the Wind-Lore debuff (-50% ranged damage is huge, let alone the +miss chance) mentioned anywhere in the guide, nor can I find mention of the raven's distraction skill (a key element in a lot of solo ranged fights). Maybe even a note that you can root archers (with CE post-level 22, though it takes some thought, and with HL at 36) and then back out of their range or run behind a wall to stop them from interrupting/damaging you. Dealing with multiple archers (if it's just one you can close to melee pretty fast), especially unmezzable ones, is something it took me about 30 levels to fully understand, and for the sake of the intended audience of the guide I think it would be wise to bring it up and suggest ways to cope with the problem. Thanks

Re: A gentle introduction to the Lore-master class

Zitat von XSYS

Not a bad guide at all. Nice job and thanks for writing it up; I wish I had had it when I started my Lore-master.

In addition to Voxin's points, I believe it would be nice to include a brief section on ranged attackers since these (especially the Barrow-Wight ones) seemed to be my downfall during the low levels. I don't see the Wind-Lore debuff (-50% ranged damage is huge, let alone the +miss chance) mentioned anywhere in the guide, nor can I find mention of the raven's distraction skill (a key element in a lot of solo ranged fights). Maybe even a note that you can root archers (with CE post-level 22, though it takes some thought, and with HL at 36) and then back out of their range or run behind a wall to stop them from interrupting/damaging you. Dealing with multiple archers (if it's just one you can close to melee pretty fast), especially unmezzable ones, is something it took me about 30 levels to fully understand, and for the sake of the intended audience of the guide I think it would be wise to bring it up and suggest ways to cope with the problem. Thanks

Also, while Wind-lore is not as effective against melee as is Fire-lore, it does add 20% to attack duration, so it has uses other than just against ranged. Fire-lore still on cooldown? Casting Wind-lore may not be as effective against that particular target, but you can still get some benefit. Likewise, there are targets that you cannot cast Fire-lore on (e.g., worms, wights), but you can cast Wind-lore.

Re: A gentle introduction to the Lore-master class

Thanks for the comments!

I do agree that Wind-lore and Bane Flare are important enough that they should be included. I'm not going to add Distraction or the Warding Circles and I see them as a bit beyond the scope of this guide, which is simply meant as a "gentle introduction" rather than an extensive guide.

Likewise, although the ISS/Flanked mechanic exists, I don't think it's something that should be covered here. I do realize that I'm probably in the minority on that opinion.

I didn't want to dive into combat mechanics too much with the roots. I could write a ton on the effective use of Cracked Earth, which I view as one of our underestimated abilities, but I just wanted to note the basics.

There is always a fine line between not writing enough and writing too much, and I tend to side with the former.

Geändert von FissionChips (20.08.2008 um 22:28 Uhr)

[url=http://lotrosigs.level3.turbine.com/0920d00000008e0a7/01002/signature.png]Shauna[/url] the Lore-master
[url=http://lotrosigs.level3.turbine.com/0920d0000000045fa/01003/signature.png]Sifl[/url] the Champion

Re: A gentle introduction to the Lore-master class

Zitat von FissionChips

Likewise, although the ISS/Flanked mechanic exists, I don't think it's something that should be covered here. I do realize that I'm probably in the minority on that opinion.

I'm with you. I think the self-heal is a far more important option especially at lower levels when staying alive can be a real overriding concern. Also, later in the game it's easy to add the improved improved-staff-strike mechanic to your bag of tricks, but it's a lot harder to reflexively go for SoP:W the instant you hear that sound -- and that reflexive/instinctive reaction IMO is more valuable.

Zitat von FissionChips

There is always a fine line between not writing enough and writing too much, and I tend to side with the former.

And you do so well.

May I suggest, though, adding a word or two about spamming your skills to finish the trait deeds? Specifically our healing skills. It takes an awful lot of executions to earn those deeds, and IMO it's a good idea for new LMs to figure out early that it's a good idea to spam the heals & signs of power as much as possible in order to get the benefit of the traits early on.

Re: A gentle introduction to the Lore-master class

Zitat von Voxin

Because you do not mention the connection between ISS and Flanked!, you have essentially told the aspiring Lore-master to learn how to recognize the Flanked! state, but that he cannot use it for another 10 levels. And that is simply not the case. Master of Staff is fairly easy to obtain. It only takes 600 uses of Staff-strike. Thus, you can easily get ISS and begin making use of those Flanked! procs a number of levels before you get SoP:W.

Although your reasoning seems valid to a casual observer, you're forgetting that your first class trait slot opens up at level 15. So having Master of the Staff (which I think most people will not have until 20+ even with regular usage) will do nothing until level 15 at the very earliest, whereas SoP:W is always usable at exactly level 14.

I really hope the lore-book was right on this information...

Geändert von FissionChips (21.08.2008 um 02:01 Uhr)

[url=http://lotrosigs.level3.turbine.com/0920d00000008e0a7/01002/signature.png]Shauna[/url] the Lore-master
[url=http://lotrosigs.level3.turbine.com/0920d0000000045fa/01003/signature.png]Sifl[/url] the Champion

Re: A gentle introduction to the Lore-master class

I am an aspiring young LM and have been following all your guides. In fact they all have a special place on my usb key to ensure they are with me at all times

Anyway, I do not think I have gotten full use out of bane flare because the two times I have tried it, it seems the AOE is freakin huge, and it basically agros ALL the wights around. Since then I have been gunshy. Is it a targeted skill? I wonder that because it is thrown straight up. In fact alot of comments on Bane Flair would be helpful.

Re: A gentle introduction to the Lore-master class

Zitat von FissionChips

At level 24, you will get Share the Power which perhaps should have been named Become an Extension of Other Players’ Power Bars. In some groups, you will be expected to give other people power. Although you have many other abilities, in the eyes of other players, your role will often be thought of as only having this skill. Use it wisely. It is often best to keep Minstrels from going powerless, while other classes are much lower priorities. Don’t give power to Championsor Hunters. Tell them I said you weren’t allowed.

One other thing I didn't find out until I was quite high level, that would have helped me a lot earlier, was that you can set pet abilities on auto-fire by right-clicking them. Different people will prefer different levels of micro-management, and one needs to be careful with AoE effects, but in general I think more discussion of pets, including the various mode toggles, would be good.

Anyway, I do not think I have gotten full use out of bane flare because the two times I have tried it, it seems the AOE is freakin huge, and it basically agros ALL the wights around. Since then I have been gunshy. Is it a targeted skill? I wonder that because it is thrown straight up. In fact alot of comments on Bane Flair would be helpful.

It is actually quite short-ranged, although if you happen to hit a mob at one edge of group that are tied together, I imagine you could pull them from outside the AoE.

Re: A gentle introduction to the Lore-master class

Zitat von volwrathius

Anyway, I do not think I have gotten full use out of bane flare because the two times I have tried it, it seems the AOE is freakin huge, and it basically agros ALL the wights around. Since then I have been gunshy. Is it a targeted skill? I wonder that because it is thrown straight up. In fact alot of comments on Bane Flair would be helpful

It has a 10m radius (according to the lorebook) which is centered on the caster, which is big for an AoE spell, but not so big that it should be pulling adds. I'd give it another shot and see if those first two were just flukes.

[url=http://lotrosigs.level3.turbine.com/0920d00000008e0a7/01002/signature.png]Shauna[/url] the Lore-master
[url=http://lotrosigs.level3.turbine.com/0920d0000000045fa/01003/signature.png]Sifl[/url] the Champion

Re: A gentle introduction to the Lore-master class

Zitat von volwrathius

Anyway, I do not think I have gotten full use out of bane flare because the two times I have tried it, it seems the AOE is freakin huge, and it basically agros ALL the wights around. Since then I have been gunshy. Is it a targeted skill? I wonder that because it is thrown straight up. In fact alot of comments on Bane Flair would be helpful.

It's not targeted. It affects a 10m radius around you. It could aggro a lot of stuff if a mob's aggro circle overlaps with the radius of the bane flare.

Re: A gentle introduction to the Lore-master class

Zitat von FissionChips

Although your reasoning seems valid to a casual observer, you're forgetting that your first class trait slot opens up at level 15. So having Master of the Staff (which I think most people will not have until 20+ even with regular usage) will do nothing until level 15 at the very earliest, whereas SoP:W is always usable at exactly level 14.

I really hope the lore-book was right on this information...

No, I think that is correct. That info would be the type of info the creators of the Lorebook (i.e., Turbine) put in as the basics from which users expand. My Lore-master was my first character, and I leveled him primarily as a caster using the Bear to tank. So SoP:W at that level was never that important to me. However, I do recall working hard to make the Raven tank until I got the Bear, and when I saw the chance to stun component on Improved Staff Strike (keeping in mind we do not get Light of the Rising Dawn until 18 and Test of Will until 26), I put a priority on getting that trait. I just do not recall having to wait until level 21 or 27 to slot it (since Hardy Bear would have taken priority for the level 15 slot). But that is likely because my LM was my main and first character to level to 50, and all four of my guys were level 15 at release (from Open Beta), so you will have to forgive me. It has been a while since I slotted a first class trait and you get to slot, what?, a dozen virtues by level 15 ? So I was a little confused. Either way, you definitely cannot slot Master of Staff before you get SoP:W.

Re: A gentle introduction to the Lore-master class

Zitat von Voxin

No, I think that is correct. That info would be the type of info the creators of the Lorebook (i.e., Turbine) put in as the basics from which users expand. My Lore-master was my first character, and I leveled him primarily as a caster using the Bear to tank. So SoP:W at that level was never that important to me. However, I do recall working hard to make the Raven tank until I got the Bear, and when I saw the chance to stun component on Improved Staff Strike (keeping in mind we do not get Light of the Rising Dawn until 18 and Test of Will until 26), I put a priority on getting that trait. I just do not recall having to wait until level 21 or 27 to slot it (since Hardy Bear would have taken priority for the level 15 slot). But that is likely because my LM was my main and first character to level to 50, and all four of my guys were level 15 at release (from Open Beta), so you will have to forgive me. It has been a while since I slotted a first class trait and you get to slot, what?, a dozen virtues by level 15 ? So I was a little confused. Either way, you definitely cannot slot Master of Staff before you get SoP:W.

It has definitely been a while since I was a low level, too, so it's a bit hard to think that far back. But I remember getting close to level 14 on the first day, and assuming it takes at least 10 days to finish a deed (due to the cap per day), I think I was well past 20 before I started getting them. I distinctly remember running into Nan Wathren still spamming my skills to finish deeds which was definitely past level 20.

I also didn't use flank heals a lot while leveling up, but as a smarter and better player now, I would definitely use em if I had to level up again. Maybe if I had, I wouldn't have died at level 19 and would have gotten my Undying title?

[url=http://lotrosigs.level3.turbine.com/0920d00000008e0a7/01002/signature.png]Shauna[/url] the Lore-master
[url=http://lotrosigs.level3.turbine.com/0920d0000000045fa/01003/signature.png]Sifl[/url] the Champion

Re: A gentle introduction to the Lore-master class

I'm bumping this thread which is still relevant to save it from the upcoming forum purge:

Zitat von Sapience

On Tuesday, February 17 we will be pruning the LOTRO forums. Any thread that has not been active since September 1, 2008 will be deleted.

If there are threads you feel are too important to lose, please be sure to add a new post to them before the 17th. You may also recreate the thread with updated information if you feel it better serves the community (for example if the OP has left or abandoned the thread).

This is not an invitation to necro six month old threads for no reason. Bumping policies are being relaxed until next Tuesday, not suspended. Choose wisely!

[url=http://lotrosigs.level3.turbine.com/0920d00000008e0a7/01002/signature.png]Shauna[/url] the Lore-master
[url=http://lotrosigs.level3.turbine.com/0920d0000000045fa/01003/signature.png]Sifl[/url] the Champion

Re: A gentle introduction to the Lore-master class

I started playing LOTRO last week after debating on what class I wanted to play. I always play the Wizard/Mage type class in every game, so naturally I was drawn to LM/RK. I tried the RK and I wasn't enjoying the class all that much(It didn't feel "Mage-Like"). So then I made my LM and I'm having an absolute blast! I normally hate pet classes, but this class is an absolute blast! Other than feeling like my classic Wizard/Mage type, there is just something appealing about the class.

Anyways, thanks for the guide! I've learned a few things that I have yet to experience.

Re: A gentle introduction to the Lore-master class

WHEN you said LM's can not hope to approach the DPS of hunters or champs ...

He i think i can burn down single targets particularly elite or better way faster than eiother of those classes can ... ill grant you maybe on multiple targets they can out dps me ...MAYBE :P

but I am traited and geared for massive DPS

I support both statements. i.e. Great Guide.

and I can out-DPS many champs when traited forMaster of Nature's Fury and standing in melee range. And for multiple targets vs hunters, they don't even come close. Only problem is if I aggro multiple targets, I sometimes die. I believe that pretty puts my LM under Nuker Class. No doubt Ancient Master and Beast Master have different characteristics but I think I can nuke if I want to.

MAKE THIS A STICKY for LMs!!!

MAKE THIS A STICKY for LMs!!!

Very well written and very well written out. A beautifully written and organized post.
Far too often as people gain knowledge they lose the ability to convey their knowledge to beginners. It is like the college professor teaching a class who starts teaching "defghij" while skipping the steps "abc" leaving his students scratching their heads.

If it were me, I'd make a few small edits from the suggestion made on this topic, repost this as a new post, and MAKE THIS A STICKY...

As a newish LM, I found this to be one of the best posts I've seen on this board....

Re: A gentle introduction to the Lore-master class

great guide for aspiring loremasters! Although i find that most odds and ends of the loremaster class is learned from playing it over and over, this is really good for getting the new guys on the right path. But like I said, practice the use of all your skills and try different combinations and skill rotations.

Alaek: elven guardian of Brandywine
"War must be, while we defend our lives against a destroyer who would devour all; but I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, nor the arrow for its swiftness, nor the warrior for his glory. I love only that which they defend: the city of the Men of Númenor, and I would have her loved for her memory, her ancientry, her beauty, and her present wisdom. Not feared, save as men may fear the dignity of a man, old and wise" quote by Faramir